Carroting process



Patented Feb. 21, 1939 2,148,033 CARROTING raoonss Warren G. Mercier,Danbury,

American Hatters and Furriers Company,

Conn., assignor to corporated, Danbury, Conn., a corporation'of New YorkNo Drawing. Original application December 11;

1937, Serial No.

Divided and this application August 10, 1938, Serial No. 224,138

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a carroting process, an art of impartingproper felting characteristics to fur fibers.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.179,267, filed Decemmore-of the following characteristics:-mutual Iaffinity resulting in a strong tight felt; an ability to felt with largequantities of non-feltable material known as filler; fast shrinking andquick starting during the felting operation; an absence ofdiscoloration; no deterioration, in fact, improvement during substantialperiods of storage; an ability to take all dye shades withoutobjectionable undercasts or other mottled effects; a satisfactory weightfor economical use in bat manufacture. Another object of this inventionis to provide a carroting process utilizing a non-mercury carrot with aresulting economy and other advantages in hat manufacture. Other objectswill be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention contemplates the utilization of novel combinations ofchemical reagents for the treatment of furs as will be illustrativelydescribed herein, and the scope of the invention will be indicated inthe following claims.

Briefly, felt, for example, the felt used in hat manufacture, comprisesa compact mass of interlocking or interfitting fur fibers. In hatmanufacture the fibers are deposited on a large cone in matted downcondition and by a wetting and hardening process they are made to clingtogether in mutual adherence to form a hat body much too large in sizeand ,of flimsy texture. Such bodies are carefully removed from the coneand subjected to a-serles of operations which reduce the hat to itsnormal size and at the same time cause a tight interlocking of theindividual fibers to provide a strongfelt. Such operations may bebriefly described as shrinking, rubbing and pounding under a variety ofconditions with many types of machines and naturally the greater thespeed of such operations the greater the resultant economy in hatmanufacture. Two of the most important operations are known as startingand sizing" in the batting industry.

Fur fibers which are q ick to start and fast in sizing are obviouslydesirable in hat manufacture.

Fur fibers in their natural state are unsuitable for the feltingoperation and must be processed prior thereto; this process is generallyknown in the art as carrotlng. Regardless of (Cl. 8il2) I the quality offur fibers, they are not suited for the felting operation unless thecarroting process is carried out effectively priorthereto. Thiscarroting process is usually accomplished by combing a chemical solutioninto the fur fibers before they are removed from the pelt. After this,the fur isdried and subsequently cut from the pelts when it is ready forthe felting operation. In practice, however, carroted fur is generallystored for substantial periods of time and the process must be such thatthe fur will not deteriorate during this storage period.

Although several factors should be continually borne in mind to completethe carroting process in a successful manner, most important is thecomposition of the carroting solution. Such solutions should be freefrom toxic effects to protectlaborers coming into contact therewithduring the felting operation. Obviously the carroting solution should beinexpensive to reduce the ultimate cost of felt manufacture. As notedabove, fur is often stored for substantial periods of time; therefore,the carroting composition should be free from any ingredients injuriousto the fibers during such periods of storage. Felt is usually dyed,especially in the batting industry and accordingly the carroted furshould be able to take all shades of dyes without undesirableundercasting or mottled effects. So that the. felting operation may berapid, fur fibers should have quick starting and fast sizingcharacteristics.

"Mercury carrot comprising mercury nitrate in an excess of nitric acidhas been the accepted carroting composition in the hatting industry formany years because of several desirable characteristics. Fur carrotedwith this mercury carrot may be stored for substantial periods of timefor it improves with ageand the mercury carrot adds a considerableamount of weight to the fibers. Fur carroted with the mercury carrotwill also take a considerable amount of filler without affecting thequality of the resulting felt. In spite of these advantages, furcarroted with the mercurycarrot has a definite toxic effect which oftenseriously impairs the health of laborerscoming in contact with the furand it discolors the fur use light pastel dye shades on the resultantfelt, thus often creating mottled effects even when the dark dyes areused.

Because the mercury carrot has these y'disadvantages several non-mercurycarrots have been developed with limited success. Although suchnon-mercury carrots have proven practical in certain limited fields,they are all subject to one deficiency or another, making themunsuitable for universal use. Sometimes the fur does not take on enoughweight when such carrots are used. with. other non-mercury carrots thefur ill making it impossible to deteriorates during storage. Still othernonmercury carrots have slow starting and sizing characteristics. Forthese andother reasons the mercury carrot is still preponderantly usedin hat manufacture in spite of of the above-noted disadvantages thereof.

The principal object of this invention has been to provide aninexpensive and practical nonmercury carrot free from the disadvantagesthereof noted above.

It is now generally recognized that a carroting solution should includea hydrolyzing agent and an oxidizing agent. The particular reasons whysuch ingredients are necessary constituents in a carroting solution isnot definitely known but successful carroting solutions now in useinclude such ingredients in one form or another. A carroting solutioncomprising chloric acid and sulphuric acid has been suggested but afterextensive research this carrot has proven a failure. One of theprincipal objections to this carroting solution is its slow starting andslow sizing characteristics, a disadvantage practically eliminating itfor use in commercial operations. I have discovered that by the additionof certain peroxygen compounds to a solution of chloric and sulphuricacids, the above deficiencies thereof are successfully remedied and theresult is an excellent carrot well adapted for commercial use.

My preferred carroting solution comprises a solution of chloric acid,sulphuric acid and ammonium persulphate. It is my belief that thechloric acid and the ammonium persulphate are the primary oxidizingagents and the sulphuric acid is a hydrolyzing agent. Under certaincircumstances, I have obtained favorable results by substituting nitricacid for the sulphuric acid in this carrot so that the carrot compriseschloric acid, nitric acid and ammonium persulphate. Also, under certainconditions, I may substitute for the ammonium persulphate in thiscarroting solution hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, ammoniumperchlorate, and sodium perchlorate. Thus, the solution or solutionsused include a strong hydrolyzing agent and a pronounced oxidizingagent. Preferably I employ two hydrolyzing agents, one at least of whichis a strong hydrolyzing agent and a strong oxidizing agent. Preferablyin one embodiment one of the hydrolyzing agents is chloric acid, and ifa second hydrolyzng agent is used I prefer to use su1 phuric acid; theoxidizing agent may be hydrogen peroxide.

Accordingly, in summation, this carroting solution comprises chloricacid, nitric acid or sulphuric acid, and any one of ammoniumpersulphate, sodium perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate, hydrogenperoxide, or potassium permanganate. When hydrogen peroxide is used inthis solution, the strength thereof should be somewhere between 25 and50 volumes.

Due to many factors to be taken into consideration when testingcarroting solutions; I am unable at the present time to give exactvalues and proportions of the various ingredients comprising the abovecarroting solutions. However, my research has succeeded to such anextent that I have obtained satisfactory results with the solutions tofollow, it being understood that these are merely illustrative examplesand may vary Example 1 Molal Chloric acid .4 Sulphuric acid .3 Potassiumpermanganate .15

Example 2 Molal Chloric acid .35 Sulphuric acid .3 Sodium perchlorate .8

Example 3 Molal Chloric acid .25 Sulphuric acid .2 Ammonium perchlorate.85

Example 4 Chioric acid mo1al .55 Sulphuric acid do .8 Hydrogen peroxidevolume strength 50 Example 5 Molal Chloric acid .55 Sulphuric acidm .8Ammonium persulphate 8 Example 6 Molal Nitric acid .4 Chloric acid .6Ammonium persulphate 7 These solutions are generally combed into the furWhile it is still on the pelts and, after drying, the fur is cut fromthe pelts and used in the feltingoperation or stored. Fur so carrotedmay be used with absolute safety during the felting process without anytoxic efiects and the ingredients comprising the above solutions arerelatively inexpensive, thus materially reducing the cost of thecarroting process. This carroting solution adds considerable weight tothe fur and may also be stored for substantial periods of time withoutdeterioration. Furthermore, there is no discoloration of the fur andconsequently the resultant felt may take any shades of dyes Withoutundercasting or mottled effects. Fur carroted with the above solutionswill take a substantial quantity of filler Without detracting from itsfelting characteristics and is also rapid in starting and shrinking.

Accordingly, I have accomplished the severai objects hereinabovementioned as well as many others in a practical manner.

As the art herein described may be varied in various parts withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is to he understood thatall matter herinbefore set forth is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The herein described art of preparing fur for felting comprisingapplying to the fur a solution of chloric acid, sulphuric acid, andpotassium permanganate.

2. The herein described art of preparing fur for felting comprisingapplying to the fur a solution of chloric acid .4 molal, sulphuric acid.3 molal, and potassium permanganate .15 molal.

WARREN C. MERCIER.

